Mo Guan Shan's Guitar: Part 2 。
Part 2 is the symbolism. (Part 1 [here].)
My first post on the subject describes Mo Guan Shan's interest and desire to play music, specifically the guitar. What I was really getting at here is the symbolism behind it; the guitar as a representation of his interest and desire in He Tian.
Chapter 226: Mo's longing here runs parallel to his longing to He Tian; someone who he sees as unattainable as the guitar, and so he dismisses him as an impossibility.
But He Tian doesn't see it that way. He goes and buys Mo a custom guitar after hearing Mo admit that he couldn't afford it on his own; couldn't move forward in that regards. In a similar vein, doesn't He Tian also make himself available to Mo despite Mo seeing their relationship as an impossibility?
Chapter 346: Even after receiving the gift, Mo hesitates to accept it, claiming that He Tian doesn't understand him. In a way, this proves to be true to some degree (see below), but He Tian also pushes for Mo to change; to move forward from such a bleak mindset. Although they don't understand each other quite yet, He Tian says they'll have the opportunity to get to know each other better later on.
Chapters 363-364: There's a parallel here, in the way Mo turns his head away at the sight of He Tian (just like he turned away from the guitar by the window in chapter 226). He Tians asks him if it isn't about money, which is kinda insensitive af, but also, looking at their previous conversation in chapter 299 (see part 1), Mo had stated then that joining music club (aka. pursuing his interest) would be a waste of time and money.
With guitar/music being representative of He Tian, am I reaching in thinking that Mo sees pursuing a relationship with He Tian as something that would go nowhere at this point? Mo admits to his shortcomings and sense of inferiority in this chapter (how ill-suited he thinks he is to be with He Tian), not that He Tian would let him use it as a reason to leave him.
Mo tells him, "You don't understand," which echoes his inner turmoil in chapter 346 and the theme of the two of them not understanding each other continues.
Chapter 397: He Tian previously told Mo, "If you don't even have the courage to change, then you don't deserve to dream." We've fast-forward a bit here, but after Mo's initial confrontation with She Li, we see that after Mo accepted He Tian (accepting his "dream"), he's been making that effort to change.
He put more effort into his studies with He Tian's help (his support) and it paid off in improved grades, but I picked this scene to highlight because this is the moment where his courage is made manifest.
The teacher who previously scolded He Tian pretty much disparaged Mo by highlighting his insecurities (of being unworthy of He Tian), and yet instead of continuing to turn away, to run away from He Tian, Mo decides to move forward towards change. He aims to become someone who could proudly stand next to He Tian; to pursue his dream.
(I got a little sidetracked from the guitar metaphor this was supposed to be, but hopefully y'all get where I'm coming from.)
